With a Senate vote on the Iran nuclear arms agreement looming, U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) recently wrote an op-ed to voice his concerns on the issue.
“Over the last few weeks in town hall meetings and other visits across the Fourth District, I’ve heard my constituents voice their concerns about a variety of issues,” Cole said. “But by far, the common issue that troubles the vast majority is the proposed nuclear deal negotiated with Iran by the Obama administration. Like many of my constituents, I am disturbed by what I’ve heard, seen and learned about the agreement. With a vote expected in Congress next month, I remain strongly opposed to approving the deal.
“When negotiations began two years ago, the president assured the American people that the goal was to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran and to block its pathway to acquiring and building a nuclear weapon,” Cole said. “Unfortunately, the deal being sold by the president does not fulfill that promise. Instead, it simply delays Iran’s development of a nuclear bomb and dangerously empowers the country to continue funding our terrorist enemies through sanctions relief. Further, it jeopardizes the safety and security of our friends and allies, especially those in close proximity to Iran — including Israel.”
Cole said many elements of the pending deal are reason enough to vote it down, but said he was troubled by side dealing that came to light.
“In the past, President Obama has explained that the deal would rely upon these international inspections to prevent Iran from cheating,” Cole said. “However, we have learned that beyond the agreement sent to Congress for review, there was a separate deal negotiated between Iran and the (International Atomic Energy Agency), an agency within the United Nations responsible for inspecting Iran’s nuclear facilities as part of the larger agreement.”
Cole then blasted news reports of a secret deal that would prevent international inspectors from being thorough, even going so far as to bar access to certain sites and to rely on Iran’s own inspectors.
“It is absolutely outrageous to believe that Iran will provide the facts related to its past nuclear work if no one outside of its country is allowed to verify the evidence,” Cole said. “The United States and our allies should be able to maintain a complete overview of the regime’s nuclear activities through unlimited and unannounced inspections of Iran’s facilities to catch anything done in secret.”
Cole has represented Oklahoma’s Fourth District in the House since 2003. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1949, Cole previously served as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) from 2006 to 2008. Cole was educated at Grinnell College and serves on the following committees: Appropriations Committee, Budget Committee and Rules Committee.